


Resolve

by SunlightInTheRain



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kaitos sickness is replaced with the zombie infection, Mild Blood, Moral Dilemmas, POV Oma Kokichi, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies are called Remnants in this AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26943139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunlightInTheRain/pseuds/SunlightInTheRain
Summary: “Look, if you don’t want to, then we can pretend it never happened.”"How can I pretend that you’re not about to die right under everyone's noses?"Kokichi is stuck with an unfortunate situation.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Resolve

When night had fallen, the sounds of crickets were Kokichi’s only company during his watch. The thick summer air made him pull down his checkered bandana from his mouth awhile ago. The faint wind only relieved him briefly as it filtered through the leaves.  
  
From his birds eye view up from up in the oak tree, he could easily oversee the camp and the surrounding trees for a short distance. The stars were plentiful in the sky along with a full moon, giving a fair amount of natural light. Everything seemed still, as it was no longer the waking hours that Kokichi dreaded.  
  
His gaze seemed to trail back to Kaito’s tent, where he had been stowed away in a form of quarantine. It was actually getting quite annoying how many times Kokichi had glanced back. Then again, it’s been so long since he had been bitten. Surely he could turn any day now, right? And letting him wander the camp in that state wasn’t a great idea.  
  
Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if Kokichi was still in charge. He actually had skills in leading a team. All Kaito had was his motivational speeches, his jock-like abilities, and his belief in others. Maybe if the others had trusted his methods, or at least his opinions, they would have never tried to rescue Tenko and gotten Kaito bitten.  
  
_Maybe if I was still in charge, Kaito wouldn’t have gotten hurt at all._  
  
But that was a lie. Kaito would’ve ran in anyways, with or without his authority. Because Kaito was the self-proclaimed hero, and no one would’ve been able to take that away from him.  
  
_What an idiot._  
  
Kokichi let out a huff of annoyance before moving to climb down his tree. Swinging down from the last branch, he landed on his feet and brushed himself off. As he made his way to Kaito’s tent, he glanced around the place, making sure no one else was stirring.  
  
However as he approached the tent, he could see a faint light shining inside. With a small smile creeping on his face, he gingerly crept to the tent’s entrance. Then he peeked his head in.  
  
“Now what’s with this?”  
  
Kaito, who was sitting up in his sleeping bag with a small flashlight in his mouth, yelped, dropping what he had in his hands and the flashlight.  
  
“Kokichi!” Kaito hissed, glaring at him as he moved to get the flashlight.  
  
“That was super unsanitary y'know.” Kokichi said. “I mean, were you raised in a- ACK-!” Kokichi said as the flashlight was suddenly shined in his face. He quickly covered his eyes.  
  
“At least that got you to shut up.” Kaito said, lowering his flashlight. “What do you want? I thought you were on guard duty?”  
  
“But it’s _so_ boooooring.” Kokichi whined. “Besides, I thought you were supposed to be resting.”  
  
“Yeah well-” Kaito said, fumbling for what he dropped. “Uh-”  
  
Kokichi came closer, snatching it before Kaito could get it firmly back into his grasp. It was a piece of paper with some writing. “What’s this?”  
  
“Give it-!” Kaito snatched it back, with such force it almost ripped the paper. The harshness of his voice triggered a coughing fit that lasted uncomfortably long. At this point, Kokichi wasn’t surprised to see blood dripping from Kaito’s mouth. More closer to magenta than red now.  
  
It didn’t stop the fact that it was gross. Or the chills it caused.  
  
“What’s got you so worked up?” Kokichi asked, crouching to be more level with Kaito.  
  
“I just-” Kaito said before clearing his throat. “I don’t want you to look at it yet, is all.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
Kaito stayed silent, grabbing a spare rag to wipe his mouth, chin, and even his neck as Kokichi watched.  
  
“You know you still have guard duty.”  
  
“Oh I know. But that note seems more interesting.”  
  
“I didn’t tell you it was a note.”  
  
“You just did.”  
  
Kaito groaned as Kokichi gave a grin. He ran his finger through his hair. “It doesn’t matter. I want to talk to you about something.”  
  
“Oh? After you tried so hard to shoo me away? You’re giving me mixed signals here.”  
  
Kaito stretched out to grab his backpack and drag it to his side. “If you promise no more of that, the jokes and jabs, I’ll tell you.”  
  
“Okay…?”  
  
After a pause, Kaito let out a sigh. “You… I need you to understand something.” Kokichi gave a nod. “I think you’re… ridiculous. I can never figure you out. Why you’d stay with the group as long as you have despite practically being demoted. Out of everyone here, you’ve been here the longest.”  
  
“I don’t need my own autobiography read back to me, what's your point?” Kokichi said, brows furrowed.  
  
“Right, my point is that you likely understand my condition.” Kaito continued, staring ahead of him. “Despite everyone’s hopes of reaching a cure, I won’t live long enough to see it. That despite everyone’s insisting I’ll make it, I understand my body more than anyone. I know how it ticks, and I know my limits.”  
  
“I’m getting close to my limit, closer than I ever imagined. I don’t-” Kaito let out a wheeze. “I don’t want to see what’s past it. So what I’m asking is… if you’ll put me down, on my behalf.”  
  
Kokichi fell silent, sitting down fully. Then he let out a chuckle. “Oh wow, and here I thought you weren’t the type to make morbid jokes. I sure underestimated you.”  
  
“I’m not. I’m serious.”  
  
“Then why ask me?” Tilting his head like a puppy, ignoring his sudden pounding in his skull. “Do you just like the irony?”  
  
_This isn’t happening. This isn’t real. I fell asleep. I fell off the tree and got a concussion. I’m hallucinating. I’m actually dead. I’m a Remnant and this is what they see. I’m-_  
  
“Ugh, even now you’re going to act like that?” Kaito said.  
  
“Well how else did you expect me to act?”  
  
“I don’t know! Just-!” Kaito sighed. “Look, if you don’t want to, then we can pretend it never happened.”  
  
“How can I pretend that you’re not about to die right under everyone's noses?” Kokichi said, feeling his mask slipping. “Everybody says you’re necessary, and you know that.”  
  
“If I turn, it’s not gonna be pretty.” Kaito said, giving a stern look. “You know exactly how Remnants act. It’ll tear everyone apart. I don’t want to die like that.”  
  
Kokichi fell silent, twirling a piece of hair around his finger. For once the word death had finally been brought up after these long weeks.  
  
“I don’t have a lot of time left, Kokichi. I’ve already given my things away and checked in on everyone. I’ve made peace with this.”  
  
“I’m surprised no one else caught on.” Kokichi said, his face and voice numb from emotion. “Walking around, talking as if you’re already dead.”  
  
“Was it that obvious?” Kaito asked, the genuine surprise bleeding into his words.  
  
“Uh-doy. I mean, anyone who was paying attention could see it.”  
  
Kaito nodded, grimacing. “I guess that’s why I felt you would be a good choice. Despite the fact that you’re an asshole, you would be the most likely to go through with this.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“I believe in my teammates, every single one of them. I know they would put their lives at risk to keep everyone safe, to keep me safe. I don’t want to put them through this.”  
  
_But you’ll put me through it?_  
  
Silence fell again, which Kaito tried to avoid by looking down at his note. Kokichi didn’t have to ask what it was for. He wanted Kaito to stop reading it and look at him, but he couldn’t find the voice to grab his attention.  
  
Luckily Kaito placed his note to the side “So what do you think?”  
  
Even when Kokichi got what he wanted, he still choked on his words. Even after everything happened with the virus, he wasn’t ready for this. Sure, he was forced to kill a Remnant or two when it came down to it, but not this. Never in his life did he want to kill a living human being, no matter what state they were in. He may have committed petty crimes before, but this was just miles too far.  
  
The weight in his heart crushed him alive as he realized that he can’t go back. Despite loathing this situation, he didn’t trust anyone else with this task either. The others would make it drag on, and maybe their soft hearts would tarnish Kaito’s resolve. No matter how much they both hated each other's guts, Kokichi couldn’t leave him in this state.  
  
There was no winning here, was there?  
  
He stared blankly at Kaito as he held his hand out, curling his fingers in a ‘give it here’ motion. Kaito faltered for a moment, and then reached into the backpack, got his pistol, and gave it to him.  
  
Silence filled the air as the weight of the gun went straight to Kokichi’s stomach. It was a sharp reminder he never really wielded a gun like this, preferring bats or crowbars. He vaguely wondered if it was too late to back out, like a coward.  
  
“If I do this, I’ll leave this group.”  
  
“What?” Kaito said, tilting his head to look at Kokichi as he furrowed his brows. He looked so tired. “Why?”  
  
“Do you really think I’d be welcomed after I murdered you?”  
  
“It’s not-”  
  
“It is.” Kokichi said, genuine anger bleeding through. “And even if it wasn’t, they won’t believe me. I know how you guys think. They’ll assume things because I’m a liar”  
  
“But the note-”  
  
“Doesn’t matter. When they start grieving, who do you think will be the punching bag?”  
  
Kaito stayed quiet, because he was right, as much as he probably hated to acknowledge that. “...Where are you going to go?”  
  
“Concerned? I’m surprised.” Kokichi said, slapping on a smirk. “Don’t worry, I have my ways. I’ll be fine.”  
  
Kaito sighed, leaning back on his hands. The light air Kokichi tried to bring fell flat.  
  
“Kaito, tell me.” Kokichi asked, causing Kaito to sluggishly perk up. “Was I ever a good teammate? A good leader?”  
  
Kaito was silent for a moment, something dawning in his eyes “You... never had the means to be. You never trusted us.”  
  
“...Thanks.”  
  


~~~  


  
The air that was at one point a warm, comforting blanket, became oppressive and thick. He felt like he was suffocating as he ran through the trees, hoping that none of the others saw him. He felt like his legs were on auto-pilot as he weaved through the trees. He could hear shouts behind him, quickly fading as he crossed the river.  
  
He wouldn’t stop moving until the first hints of sunrise, letting the faint light wash away the dark scene. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was a WIP I left alone like a year ago and then finished the rest in a matter of 3 days recently. This is part of a Zombie AU/story I had mostly fleshed out, and this is just a scene that fits into it. I doubt I'll ever make the full fic, but either way, I hope this was a good read.


End file.
